Composite pile



J. H. FOX

COMPOSITE FILE Feb. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 11, 1953 al y a) iv J. H. FOX

COMPOSITE PILE Feb. 24,1959

Original Filed'June 11. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllllllllllllllllllll ll iIL INVENTOR. JOSEPH H FOX COMPOSITE PILE Joseph H. Fox, Birmingham, Ala.

Continuation of application Serial No. 360,960, June 11,' 1953. Divided and this application September 10, 1954, Serial No. 455,139

7 Claims. (CI. 61-53) This invention relates to composite piles and more particularly to piles which embody lower sections of treated wood and upper sections of concrete and isa continuation of my application Serial No. 360,960, filed June 11, 1953 and entitled Composite Pile and now abandoned.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a composite pile of the character designated which shall include improved means for anchoring the lower wood section securely to the upper concrete section whereby upward and sideward thrusts on the concrete section are transmitted with full force to the wood section.

Another object of my invention is to provide a composite pile of the character designated which shall be effective to support buildings at locations which have soil and water conditions which require the lower portion of the pile to be below the water level.

2,874,546 Patented Feb. 24, 1959 I Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention I show a wooden pile section 10 v which is sawed off even as at 11. Drilled into the upper surface of the pile section 10 is a vertically disposed opening 12 for receiving a reinforcing rod 13.

Driven into the upper end of the wooden pile section 10 and surrounding the rod 13 is an annular wedge member 14 formed of a suitable material such as cast steel. The inner surface of the annular wedge member 14 is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending projections 16 1 which are preferably formed integrally with the member 14. The inner surface of the annular wedge member 14 between the projections 16 is tapered toward the lower end thereof as' at 17 and the lower inner surface of the projections 16 are tapered as at 18, thus facilitating the driving of the wedge member 14 into the wooden pile upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange 22 which forms an annular groove 23 for receiving the lower tapered end of the wedge member 14.

From the foregoing description, the assembly of my improved composite pile shown in Figs. 1 to 3 will be A more specific object of my invention'is to provide improved means for securing the upper concrete section posite piles due to the problems encountered in anchoring i the concrete section to the wooden section. To overcome these and other difficulties, 1 provide a composite pile embodying a cylindrical metal shell for receiving the concrete and having an upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange at the lower end thereof together with a metal ring-like member which is adapted to engage the inwardly extending flange and force the same. into the wooden section whereby the cylindrical shell is secured to the wooden section and the wood is compressed inwardly toward a vertically disposed reinforcing bar anchored in the wooden section. j

Composite piles embodying features of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a composite pile constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away and in section, showing a modified form of wedge member;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line V-V of Fig. 4 and showing the manner in which the lower wood section is secured to the upper concrete section; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4, showing the lower wood section and the cylindrical shell member in dotted lines.

readily understood. The annular wedge member 14 is positioned within the shell 19 with the lower tapered edges thereof fitting in the annular groove 23. The shell 19 and the wedge member 14 thus assembled are positioned on top of the pile section 10 which has been driven down the required distance. The annular wedge member 14 is then driven down into the wooden pile section by any; suitable means, thus anchoring the lower end of the shell 19 in the wood, as shown in Fig. 1. As the lowered ends of the wedge member 14 and shell move downward, the wood at the top of the wood pile section is compressed, thus firmly gripping the reinforcing rod 13. Also, as the shell is forced into the wooden pile section 10, the projections 16 hold the portions of the annular flange 22 adjacent the same against moving outward toward the walls of the shell. Whereas, the portions of the annular flange 22 intermediate the projections 16 are free to move outward toward the walls of the shell as at 24 thus forming a somewhat wavy pattern, as shown in Fig. 3. This sinuous efiect tends to anchor the shell to the wood pile section 10 and also eliminates the tendency of the top of the wood pile section to split. With the shell 19 in place, the concrete 21 is poured thus completing the structure.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6,'I show a modified form of pile construction in which an annular wedge member 14a is adapted to fit within the groove 23 and force the same downward into the wood pile section 10 as described above. The wedge member 14a is provided with projections 16a on the inner surface thereof which are tapered toward the lower ends as at 18a. The inner surface of the wedge member 14a intermediate the projections 16a tapers toward the lower end thereof as at 17a. Positioned substantially concentric with the annular member 14a is p a second annular wedge member 26 which is connected 3 further against "the rod "13 as the wedge members 14a and 26 together 'with the radial 'arms "are "driven "concomitantly down into the wood. The lower tapered edge of the wedge member 1411 fits in. the groove 23 as shown in Fig. '5,"thereb y forcing it down into the wood pile section as the wedgemember is driven down. iklso,'-as the wedge member 14a'is driven down, the radialarms 27 cut the annular 'fiange 122 .thus providing'vertical's'lits therein for receiving the outer ends of the radial arms.

From the foregoing it willbc seen that I have devised an improved composite pile. By'provi'ding annularwedge members which compress the wood toward a centrally disposed vertical rod secured in'the' wooden pile section, the upper section of concrete is anchored firmly to the lower wooden pile section. Also, by providing projections on-the inner surface ofthe'annularwcdge member together with the upwardly "and inwardly-extending annular .flange at the bottom of the shell, the wood is compressed further and the annular flange is bent to form a wavy pattern, thus aiding further to secure the shell to the wood pile section and eliminating'the tendency of the top of the pile section to split.

While I have shown my invention in but two'forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible o'fvarious other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claimis:

1. In a composite pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper section of concrete, the improvement'which comprises a cylindricalshell mounted on top of'the wooden section for receiving concrete, an upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange at the lower end of said shell forming an annular groove, and an annular wedge member fitting within said groove constructed and arranged to'force the 'l'ower'end of Said shell into the wooden section when said Wedge member is driven downward.

2. A composite pile as defined in claim 1 in which the inner surface of the annular wedge member is tapered toward the lower end thereof.

'3. A composite pile as defined in claim 1 in which a plurality of inwardly extending projections are provided on the inncr'surface of the annular wedge member.

4. In a compositepile embodying a lowerwooden section and an upper section of concrete, the improvement which comprises a vertical rod anchored in the upper end of the'wooden section, a cylindrical shell for receiving concrete mounted-on top of the wooden section and surrounding said-rod, an upwardly and inwardly extending' annular flange at the lower end of said shellforming an annular groove, and an annular wedge member :fitting Within said'gro'ove constructed and arranged to force the lower end of said'shell into the wooden section and compress the wood at the top of said wooden section against "said rodwhensaid wedge member -is 'driven downward.

5. A composite pile as defined in claim 4 in which a plurality of projections are provided on the inner surface of the annular wedge member in position to engage the upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange on the shell at a plurality of points, whereby upon downward movement of the shell the portions of the annular flange intermediate said projections are forced outwardly thus forming a wavy pattern.

6. In a composite pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper section of concrete, the improvement which comprises, a cylindrical shell mounted on top of the wooden section for receiving concrete, an upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange at the lower end of said shell forming an annular groove, an annular Wedge member fitting within said groove constructed and arranged to force the lower end of said shell into the wooden section when said wedge member is driven down, a second annular wedge member substantially concentric with'said first mentioned wedge member, and means connecting said wedge member rigidly together whereby they move downward concomitantly.

7. In a composite pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper section of concrete, the improvement which comprises a vertical rod anchored in the upper end "of the wooden section, a cylindrical shell for receiving concrete mounted on top of the wooden section and surrounding said rod, an upwardly and inwardly extending annular flange at the lower end of said shell forming an annular groove, an-annular wedge member fitting within said groove constructed and arranged to force the lower end of said shell into the wooden section and compress the wood at the top'of said wooden section against said rod When-said wedge member is driven downward, a second wedge member substantially concentric with said first mentioned wedge member and surrounding said rod, and a plurality of radial'arms connecting said wedge 'members whereby said wedge members move downward concomitantly thus compressing the wood fur 'ther against said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,835 Jones Apr. 1, 1862 898,013 Skinner Sept. 8, 1908 1,916,702 Watt July 4, 1933 1,971,691 Nadel Aug. 28, 1934 2,290,855 Myer July 28, 1942 2,701,449 Young Feb. 8, .1955 2,782,606 Fox Feb. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,531 Great 'Britain 1913 18,094 Netherlands Nov. 15, 1927 

